


Dance With Me

by Kenmai



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Gen, JohnKarkat, Other, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, dance au, johnkat - Freeform, sorry if i wrote the characters a bit too ooc?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:17:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4448960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenmai/pseuds/Kenmai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat just wanted to finish re-stocking all these damn shelves. That’s it. He honestly can’t do that when a seriously gorgeous stranger comes in at 4AM and distracts him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

> So you know when you get a writers block? But you end up writing another to story to outblock your block?...

As much as Karkat loved the beauty and quietness that is the night, working the night shift sucked. Who just decides to come into a grocery store at four in the morning to buy things other than high teenagers who usually end up leaving without anything in the first place? Retarded people, Karkat thinks; but then again they aren’t the ones stuck shelving boxes of Mac and cheese at four in the morning. Karkat sighs as he places what seems like the thousandth box of the damn stuff on the shelf before standing up, stretching as his back pops from being crouched so long. Why the Mac and cheese was the one on the bottom shelves was a mystery to Karkat, but his boss likes the display, so he can’t argue. Karkat’s boss always told him that a messy store was one who wouldn’t last long.

When Karkat walks back to refill the palette with stuff to stock he sees a man walk in through the doors, hands in his pocket. He looks just like any other customer that comes in at 4:13 in the morning; t-shirt and jeans, messy fluffy hair, hands shoved in his pockets. Karkat looks at the empty registers and then at the man. He really should go back to wait at the front to wait to scan the guy’s items, but then his boss appears behind Karkat’s register. Karkat nods in appreciation to him and goes back to stocking. The store is quiet save for an odd tapping pattern; one-two-three-one-two-three. Karkat thinks nothing of it, setting another can of tuna on the shelf. The pattern gets louder and closer; one-two-three-one-two-three. A pause. The sound of something being dropped into a cart. One-two-three-one-two-three. Karkat leaves the palette of canned goods by the shelf, wandering to the end of the aisle and peering out. The man is walking around with his cart, hips swaying as his feet move in that odd pattern. “Um, Sir? Are you alright?”

The man continues his movements, looking at a pear before plopping it into his cart. Karkat sees a slender white cord snaking down into the man’s collar and he realizes that the man is dancing to the music playing through his headphones. What kind of music would he dance to that involves that kind of beat, though, Karkat wonders as he walks over hesitantly. Karkat reaches to tap on the man’s shoulder and jumps when the man spins on his heel, looking at Karkat in shock before smiling warmly. Karkat’s heart leaps into his throat when the man takes his hand, bending at the waist and kissing the back of Karkat’s hand. He adjusts his hand, Karkat’s fingers curling in the space between the man’s thumb and forefinger as his fingers loosely wrap around Karkat’s hand. There’s a hand on his shoulder blade and he automatically puts his hand on the man’s shoulder, to push him away or steady himself he doesn’t know. He stumbles when the man moves, and he can hear violins and trumpets blaring from the man’s headphones. Ray steps back with his right foot when the man leads with his left, and pretty soon he’s being spun around to soft tapping on his waist; one-two-three-one-two-three. The beat and footwork is easy to follow, and before Karkat knows it he’s spinning and dancing around the store with a stranger at 4:25 in the morning.

Karkat knows he needs to be getting back to work and that his boss is nearby but he finds himself trapped by the constant lulling of their steps and the piano that joins in with the violins. The man smells faintly of cologne and blueberries, and Karkat’s heart skips a beat when he shyly looks into blue eyes slightly bloodshot and accentuated by dark marks of sleepless nights. The smile that Karkat gets is blinding in its intensity; full of a tired but sated happiness, the kind that comes in when a person is comfortable and relaxed and enjoying themselves. Karkat feels the hand on his waist guide him closer while they spin around a display case, now aisles away from the shelves Karkat was stalking and the man’s cart. “Karkat! Once you’re done dancing with your boyfriend you need to finish that shelf! Dave will be here to take the shift in 30!”

Karkat’s cheeks flush and he stammers to say that he doesn’t even know the guy but they’re already gone, dancing alongside the cereal as the man distractedly looks at the titles. Karkat is in shock; he’s literally dancing along to music Karkat can hear, avoiding a wet-floor sign with ease while looking at cereal. Either this guy is a dancer or ridiculously lucky. Karkat isn’t quite sure which one is right, all he knows is that it’s nice to feel the muscles in the man’s shoulder work when he moves and the firm grip he keeps on Karkat’s hand, not enough to hurt, but not enough for Karkat to know that he’s not trying to him on him, he just wants to dance. Karkat squeaks in alarm when he’s tipped backwards, and the hand that was on his waist slides to rest on the small of his back as he’s dipped down low, Karkat gripping the man’s hand tight. Karkat is momentarily distracted by the muscles in the man’s arms bunching and shifting with the job of holding Karkat up, but he doesn’t seem to strain at all. Karkat is drawn back up against the man’s chest so that the dance can continue until Karkat hears one last resounding note from what sounds like a French horn and the man slows to a stop.

Karkat doesn’t want to admit that he’d breathing a little heavier than usual or that his face is really close to this guys right now but holy shit his face is fucking close. Karkat can see flecks of darker blue colors in the man’s eyes with how close they are, and Karkat isn’t sure if it’s him or not who breaks the silence with a soft intake of breath. Karkat blinks and the spell is broken, the man lets him go with an apologetic smile, reaching up and yanking the ear buds from his ears, new music starting up. “Sorry to keep you from your job...Karkat.” The man squints a little when he reads Karkat’s name tag and Karkat finds himself fighting not to squirm under the man’s gaze.

“It’s okay. One can only so many cans of damn tuna on the shelf before they wanna run from the store screaming.” The man laughs softly, the two of them walking back to their respective positions. Karkat with the palette of cans, the man pushing his cart to stand near Karkat while Karkat goes back to work. “Do you always dance when you’re shopping?” Karkat asks, not to break the silence, but more out of curiosity. The man looks up from the can of beans he’s holding smiling sheepishly.

“Not usually! Was it weird?” Karkat shrugs finishing with the cans of tuna and starting on corn. “Thanks for dancing with me, by the way. Heh.”

“I don’t dance; I just followed what you were doing actually. My legs can’t be that useless, you know?” The man smiles kindly in the corner of Karkat’s vision and Karkat feels his heart thump a little faster.

“You’re a natural! You sure you don’t dance?”

“Absolutely positive. I’m more of a stay at home and watch movies all the time kind of guy.”

The man opens his mouth to respond, lips curled in an amused smile when a loud voice rings through the store and Karkat curses, nearly dropping the last can of corn. “Karkat! I’m here to take over!”

Karkat was nearly bowled over by the young man that strides up to him, hugging Karkat while the other man takes a step back, bumping into his own cart. “What the fuck Dave you literally see me everyday.”

“Can’t a guy miss his favorite guy pal?” Dave asked, Karkat grunting and pushing until Dave relinquishes his near chokehold on Karkat. “You get going home now, you hear?”

“Yeah yeah, I hear you.” Karkat says rolling his eyes, untying the apron from around his waist. Karkat looks up and glances around to see the man and his cart gone, Karkat swearing under his breath. “Where’d he go?”

“Who?” Dave says in confusion, looking around at the empty aisle. He raised an eyebrow at Karkat and said, “There’s no one in the sore besides us and the boss. You alright there, buddy?”

“I’m fucking great…I just missed my chance at another dance is all...”

***

Karkat kind of misses dancing. Not that he was ever big on it before, but there’s just something about it that makes Karkat want to turn on some kind of music and just let loose. Karkat remains firmly rooted on the couch, though, remote-control in hand and eyelids drooping after a long shift and no sleep. Karkat tried to get different hours for almost two weeks, hoping to see that man again during the day, but he knows it’s a long shot. People come to that grocery store maybe once, and there are only two regulars; an older lady that knows the boss personally and a group of kids that come in and buy as much candy as they can before leaving. Karkat doesn’t remember falling asleep during a game of Tetris, but he wakes up to his phone and picking up. “What?”

“Karkat! Meet me at the dance studio a few blocks from your apartment. Stat.” Karkat winces as Dave’s voice and groans, looking at the clock on the wall. Four in the afternoon. “Hurry man; be here by 4:30.”

Karkat swears and stumbles up, going and taking a quick shower before throwing on a pair of tan khaki’s and a t-shirt, slipping his favorite pair of red converse on. Karkat makes sure he has his keys before rushing out the door, taking the stairs and dashing out of the front door. Karkat waves to the elderly lady that lives a couple doors down in his rush to leave, running down the sidewalk and pausing to catch his breath at a crosswalk. Karkat shoves his hands in his pockets and hurries through the crowd, hunching his shoulders and generally blending in. Karkat stops outside the doors of a dance studio, looking around for Dave and jumping when a hand claps on his shoulder. “Why am I here? I could be still be sleeping, you know that right?”

“Shut up, man it’s a surprise.” Dave crows, grabbing Karkat’s arm and dragging him inside the building. Dave steps up to the counter, grinning at the brunette behind the counter. “Hey nerd, we’re here for the class.”

“This is Karkat?” The girl asks curiously, Dave nodding and nudging Karkat closer. “It’s nice to meet you! I’m Jade. I’m the owner of the dance studio and an instructor.”

Karkat shakes her hand out of politeness, smiling a little when Jade beams. “Nice to meet you too. Dave’s talked about you a lot.”

Karkat hears Dave make a noise of disbelief and embarrassment and actually grins, Jade giggling. “Karkat!”

“Well would you look at the time, the class is about to start, you better hurry!” Jade breaks in before Dave can get all huffy, placing a hand on Dave’s back as she shoves them towards the hallway leading to one of the dance rooms. Karkat pushes through the door and steps into the crowd of younger people standing around, looking at a man standing away from the group, smiling pleasantly and talking.

“You’re all here to learn how to waltz, correct?” There’s a murmur of agreement from the group and Karkat shoots Dave a dirty look, Dave grinning sheepishly before his attention is attracted to Jade standing up next to the other instructor. “Good good! Waltzing is a good way to learn more about your dance partner without talking. But, since you can’t learn names through waltzing, we’ll all start by introducing ourselves before pairing up, okay?”

Jade claps her hands together when the man looks at her, mimicking her own grin cheery. “My name is Jade, and I’m going to be helping out in here alongside with my brother John!”

Dave raises his hand to go next and Jade rolls her eyes, grin growing as she waves for him to go ahead. “I’m Dave.”

“I’m Nepeta!” A redhead speaks up, smiling and holding the wrist of a man with straight black hair. He doesn’t look like he wanted to come, but his face softens a little when he looks at Nepeta.

“I’m Equius.” There’s a chorus of other names; Roxy, Jane, Tavros, Gamzee, Sollux, Aradia, Eridan, Feferi, Rose and Kanaya. Karkat jolts when he realizes all eyes are looking at him and he smiles somewhat sheepishly.

“Oh uh, I’m Karkat.”

“Welcome everybody, I hope you all get to know each other, this is a one week class! My name is John, and as you can probably tell, I’ll be your dance instructor.” John claps his hands together, the same grin on his face as he looks expectantly at the crows. “Anyone knows how to waltz already?”

Everyone else shuffles around nervously, trying to avoid being called on. Dave coughs into his fist and nudges Karkat, causing him to stumble forward while glaring back at Dave. Karkat raises his hand slowly, feeling like if a hole opened under his feet it would be better than the gaze that pins him to the spot. Karkat sees recognition in those blue eyes, and with a jolt he hears trumpets and violins and the squeaking of their shoes on tile at 4 in the morning. “I know how.” Karkat says quietly.

“Fantastic! Would you like to be my partner?”

“Sure. Yeah, sure.” Karkat feels like the stupidest fucking guy on the planet. Who wouldn’t want to dance with their hot dance instructor? He steps forward, out of the crowd and towards John.

“Everyone else partner up and stand in a box. “John instructs, Karkat moving to stand with John. Nepeta partners with Equius, Jade with Dave, Tavros with Gamzee, Sollux with Aradia, Feferi with Eridan, Jane with Roxy and Rose with Kanaya. They all move to stand in a box, evenly spaced out in the room, John nodded in satisfaction. “Great! You all need to decide who’s going to lead now. Once you’ve done that mirror how I’m standing with my partner.” Karkat places his hand in Ryan’s, resting his other on John’s shoulder and keeping his elbow up. John’s hand rests on Karkat’s shoulder blade again and Karkat tries not to shiver at the touch. Everyone decides who’s going to lead, and Karkat halfheartedly tries not to sway towards John when he speaks. “Now for a left turn configuration, the lead is going to start the dance. When the lead steps forward with their left, your partner will step back with their right. Step with your heel on the first step, and then with the balls of your feet for the second and third step.”

“What are the other steps?”

John chuckles softly, dropping Karkat’s hand and pointing to the box that they’re all in. “They’re all here. A waltz is done to a ¾ time song, so each step will be on a beat. I’ll count off each step as I demonstrate.” John takes Karkat’s hand again and Karkat swallows nervously, looking down at his feet briefly. John begins the dance, Karkat fumbling for a moment before falling into the rhythm. Karkat hears John counting off; one-two-three-one-two-three. “For the lead the footwork is step forward with your left, diagonal to the corner with your right, then back with your right, and repeat. For your partner it’s the opposite, step back with your right, diagonal with your left, forward with your left, repeat.” Karkat stops when John does, dropping his hands to his sides while John walks around the room slowly correcting where hands are and guiding the other through the footwork. They all stumble and step with hesitant, uncertain steps, but once they catch on and fall into a rhythm they step like they’ve done this for weeks. “Good!”

“John, you left your dance partner all alone!” Jade chastises, John coming back over and apologizing to Karkat. “Everyone focus on footwork! Make sure you stay within the boxes on the floor and that you don’t step on toes.”

“Once you guys are confident in doing it with the box, we’ll move on to doing simple reverse turning. For now, just get comfortable with each other and the footwork.” John says, once again taking Karkat’s hand as Karkat looks around. Was his hand sweaty? Was he holding too tight? He didn’t want to come off as clingy or weird and he definitely does not want to seem nervous even though his gut twists with it. Karkat jolts when John beings moving, and he moves with him, mindlessly repeating the box step to a metronome that clicks out the beat. He hears the other people in the room muttering the pattern along with the footwork; one-two-three, a symphony of collective swears when they mess up or apologizing when they step on toes. Karkat doesn’t realize that John has started turning him with him until they’re traversing the room, spinning and turning along the edges as John briefly looks at each person, Karkat closes his eyes, if only to savor the moment.

The feeling of dancing lefts something from Karkat’s shoulders, lets him relax and just enjoy the ticking of the metronome and with the warmth of the man holding his hand and guiding him. He imagines he can smell the cleaner they use at the grocery store, feel the cold breeze that swept in when John first walked in. He hums what he can remember of the music, just a mindless little harmony to keep himself from messing up the turns or spins. Karkat feels the hand on his shoulder blade slide lower, to the small of his back, and his eyes open when he hear a surprised gasp ripple through the room, Karkat’s world shifting as John dips him. Karkat’s breath catches in his throat when he sees the beautiful smile on John’s face and the warmth in his eyes, John slowly pulling him out of the dip before they’re off again, spinning and turning to roaring applause. “Why are they clapping?”

“Because you’re beautiful when you dance.” John murmurs, just loud enough for Karkat to hear over the beating of his heart and the metronome. Karkat feels his cheeks heat up from the compliment and he looks away from John’s kind face, trying not to grin. “5:30.”

“Huh?”

“It’s 5:30. The class is over for the day.” They falter to a stop, neither really wanting to let go but knowing they have to. Karkat steps away first, John taking a step back as well. “Thank you for coming today. I hope you enjoyed learning the box step. Be back here tomorrow, same time and we’ll learn turning.”

Everyone chatters on their way out, thanking Jade as she stands by the door waving hesitantly to John. Dave winks at Karkat as he loops his arms with Jade’s, dragging her from the room. John goes to stop the metronome, and Karkat sees his shoulders rise as he pulls in a slow breath before releasing it. “I did not expect you for a dance teacher.” Karkat starts, wincing at how lame he sounds. Why can’t he just try to strike up a simple conversation without sounding stupid?

“Didn’t peg you for one to take a class.” John replies, smiling softly as he leans a hip again the table the metronome is on. “You said you didn’t dance.”

“Dave, kinda, dragged me here actually.” Karkat says, silence falling between the two of them. The air is a little awkward, and John looks as if he’s thinking hard about something. Karkat clears his throat, cheeks red as he picks the hem of his t-shirt. “You left before I could finish talking to you.”

“Your shift was over.” Is all John says, looking at his watch before stepping away from the table. “Do you want to get a bite to eat?”

“Hell yes.” Karkat blurts out before he realizes he doesn’t have his wallet on him. “Fuck. I, er- I would, but I kind of left my wallet at home sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it!” John coos dismissively, grabbing a bag from the corner of the room. “I’m going to change real quick, wait for me in the lobby?” Karkat nods mutely, turning and walking to the lobby in a daze. Karkat blinks in shock when Dave appears in front of him, grinning smugly.

“Did you enjoy dancing today? You want me to walk you home?”

“Actually, I think I have a fucking date.” Karkat says in disbelief, Dave gaping as Jade does something behind the counter. Dave grabs Karkat’s shoulders and shakes him a little bit, Karkat blinking rapidly. “What?”

“You have a date? With Mr. Hot Dorky Dancing Teacher?” Dave demands, Karkat nodding slowly. Dave pumps a fist in the air before hugging Karkat, laughing excitedly. “Good for you, man.”

“You owe me five bucks.” Jade says as she walks up. Dave biting his cheek and slinging an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t be nervous, John really is a huge nerd.”

“Coming from the queen of nerds!” Karkat jumps and looks at John as he walks out, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt just like before. A tan jacket looks like it was thrown on in a rush, but the messy look suits John.

“So you _do_ know I’m royalty!” Jade jokes, Dave rolling his eyes and Karkat smiling a little. “You can go ahead, I’ll lock up tonight.”

John makes a face as he looks between Jade and Dave, pausing for a moment. “Don’t do anything gross in my room, please.”

“No promises, bro!” Jade replies in a singsong voice, taking Dave’s hand and sauntering off. Karkat snorts and shakes his head, following John out and towards the parking lot.

“I’d try to reassure you that Dave is better than that, but he isn’t. So sorry I guess.” Karkat says. John shrugs and unlocks his truck, Karkat hesitating for a moment before climbing into the passenger seat, the engine roaring to life as John relaxes in the seat.

“Jade knows not to mess with my stuff. I assume Dave should know that by now, too.” They pull out onto the busy streets, Karkat nonchalantly gripping the door to steady himself as if he was riding a public bus.

“Does he always just hang around the studio a lot?” John shrugs while sitting at a red light, looking over at Karkat and smiling when he sees Karkat’s grip.

“He comes in everyday, talking to my sister before going off to work. He sort of grew on me I guess! He calls us bros so I’m fine with it. He makes comments to me about you, by the way. Heh.”

Karkat groans; Dave saying things about Karkat to other people generally meant Dave was trying to hook them up or do something ridiculous during Karkat’s shift that he would have to deal with. Both were annoying. It’s not that Karkat doesn’t like dating; he just fucking despises his friends setting him up. He wants to do this shit himself. “What does he say? Stupid shit I’ll bet.”

“He gave me your work schedule actually…Told me to go and pick you up and ‘take him on a proper date, you’re being slow as fuck.’ as he put it.”

Karkat smacks his forehead with the palm of his hand. He’d been trying to change his schedule for weeks, but Dave kept taking the hours! No goddamn wonder! “I kept changing my schedule but Dave wouldn’t let me. At least now I fucking know why.”

Karkat is surprised when John laughs, pulling into the parking lot of a small diner. “He’s been insisting on me going to that store for almost two weeks.”

“And then he dragged me to a dance class that he conveniently forgot to tell me was taught by you!” Karkat shakes his head at Dave’s silly shenanigans to try and get them together; sliding into the opposite side of the booth that John sits in, staring at each other from across the plastic checkerboard table. “I thought it was weird that he was taking all the extra hours and that my boss was...letting him…my boss!”

“What about him?” Karkat scowls and slumps in the seat, throwing his hands u in disbelief.

“He’s in on it! The night you danced with me he thought you were boyfriend. He must be trying to give me time off to-“ Karkat stops, realizing what he just said as his cheeks flush and John looks away, cheeks just as red as he coughs into his fist. Karkat rubs the back of his head, playing with the menu that’s set before them by a grinning waitress who winks knowingly at John. John glares halfheartedly at her, shoulders slumping as he sighs in defeat.

“It isn’t that bad, right? Being set up with me?” Karkat instantly slides his butt back on the seat, sitting up and leaning over the table.

“Fuck no, I didn’t mean to come off like an ass I just- don’t like my friends setting me up. Sorry for being a dick.”

John smiles at him like he didn’t do anything wrong, but Karkat still feels guilty. “I think I can forgive you. That is, if…”

“If?” Karkat says, stomach twisting with…Anticipation? Nerves? Nausea? Karkat doesn’t know, but he finds himself leaning forward all the same, John almost halfway across the table.

“If there’s going to be a second date.” John says, smoothly running his fingers down the side of Karkat’s neck before sitting back, leaving Karkat leaning over the table half out of his seat.

Karkat snorts and smiles at him amusingly, leaning back in his chair as he opens the menu. “Depends on if you’re good.” The laugh that the comment elicits makes Karkat’s stomach flop and his smile grow larger.

“You look really pretty when you smile you know!”

“R-Really? My smile is fucking gross.”

“I like to think the opposite.”

Karkat’s smile isn’t as big but it’s still there as he rolls his eyes.

They order food eventually, talking about everything and nothing, enjoying the silence and bustle of the diner and the stories they tell each other. Karkat rants about something stupid that Dave once did which resulted in Karkat having to redo a kickass display made from cans. John talks about the music company he works at, Karkat just happy to listen to John’s voice even though he doesn’t know what the fuck an Allegro was. He probably wouldn’t ever tell John that though. True to his word, when the bill comes John glances at it before tucking the appropriate amount in the waiters black wallet and signing the receipt. John waits to get his copy back before sliding out of the booth. Karkat following after without a thought. They walk back to his truck, and when John drives past Karkat’s apartment building he doesn’t say anything, just rests his hand in the one John offers him from across from the center console.

They drive for hours, out of town and through backcountry roads. Karkat idly thinks that if John was a murderer he could kill him and Karkat would never be found. Karkat couldn’t find it in himself to care much though, the hum of the engine and John’s slender fingers laced with his is enough for him, and Karkat knows this is possibly one of the best dates he’s ever been on. John stops the car at the end of a dirt road, and Karkat slowly looks around, cracking a small smile. “I’m not going to murder you, I promise!” John quickly says, Karkat laughing softly as he slides out of the truck. He stretches his legs for a moment before John takes his hand again, leading him to climb on top of the hood of the car. John lays back against the windshield, Karkat hesitating only a moment before he lays in the space against John’s side, staring up at the stars.

“This is more than a bite to eat.” Karkat lamely jokes, John’s arm tightening around him for a moment before he relaxes, absently playing with the material of Karkat’s shirt.

“I didn’t want you to go yet.” John admits, Karkat wordlessly agreeing by tucking himself firmly against John’s side, pointing up to a cluster of stars. Karkat traces the stars, mapping them out while John watches.”

“That’s Scorpio. It’s the only one I can remember besides Cancer, but it’s there.”

“What’s the story behind it?” Karkat smiles a little when John asks, staring up at the stars forming the constellation.

“It relates to Orion. He boasted that he would kill every animal on Earth, so Artemis offered them all protection. Artemis and her mother sent a scorpion to kill Orion, and when they battled the scorpion won. It’s said that the battle was so lively that Zeus himself noticed and raised the scorpion to the heavens.” John hums with the story, Karkat closing his eyes and just resting. “There’s another version of it, too. It was once said that Orion was better than Artemis, but he denied, saying that she was better than him, and so Artemis took a liking to him. Apollo became angry with Orion, so he sent a scorpion to kill Orion, and when he died Artemis asked Zeus to put him in the sky.”

“That’s beautiful. In an odd, murderous way. Where’s Orion?”

“Not here. If the scorpion is out, the he’s not. Orion hunts the skies of winter, and runs in fear when the scorpion rises once more.”

“Cosmic balance...” John mused, Karkat nodding. The air brings goosebumps to Karkat’s skin, but he’s warm against John’s side and the warmth that radiates from the hood of the car beneath him.

***

Karkat learns that John doesn’t pay attention when he’s dancing. He’s a thousand miles away, lost in his thoughts and the movements of the dance. Karkat doesn’t mind, not when John will tug him a little bit closer than necessary, hand slipping from his shoulder blade down to Karkat’s waist. The class is long since over, but Karkat makes it a pint to stop by the studio when he knows John Is sitting alone, staring at the mirror that lines the wall or the boxes on the floor. Karkat will walk as quietly as he can, pressing play on the stereo that’s always set to one certain song. John will bow to him, take Karkat’s hand and kiss the back of it like he did that first night before sweeping Karkat into the dance. They never speak while dancing, not even when the song loops and causes their rhythm to falter. Karkat closes his eyes, allows John to guide them, sometimes, laughing softly when John does something silly while they dance or sighing softly when John dips him. Karkat isn’t a dancer, but when he’s in John’s arms, trumpets and violins and piano playing around him, echoing off the walls, he imagines he can do any kind of dance that John wants him to do.

Sometimes when Karkat opens his eyes only to see that John’s eyes are closed, he takes the opportunity to properly look at John. He has a very slight aftershave and swirly messy hair that tickles his face whenever they get really close, and his goofy teeth always makes him seem as though he is bright and cheery despite how seriously he can move. The very small but smooth arch of his cheek bones

Or the slight dimples that Karkat falls in love with when John smiles. Karkat sees green out of the corner of his eye, and when they spin so that Karkat can peek over John’s shoulder. Jade stands in the doorway, leaning her shoulder against the doorjamb. Her hand is over her mouth, and Karkat thinks he sees the glimmer of tears in her eyes before he’s spinning again, and John’s fingers curl in the back of his shirt, drawing him closer.

Karkat looks at Jade when he can, and he sees her mouthing words to him, and he tries to read her lips, ‘You two are beautiful.’ ‘He doesn’t dance this way with anyone else.’ ‘Please don’t hurt him.’ Karkat nods to Jade, smoothing his fingers over John’s shoulder in a silent gesture. Jade waves to him and shakes her keys, Karkat nodding once more. He’ll make sure they lock up before Karkat has to leave for work. The song winds down to an end a minute or so later as John stops to catch his breath, and Karkat stops as well, looking at the clock on the wall. “You have to leave already?”

“You say that like we haven’t been dancing for two fucking hours, John.” Karkat murmurs, sliding his hand from John’s shoulder to cup his cheek, pulling him down for a gentle kiss. “Jade left a few minutes ago, so remember to lock up.”

“I can drive you to the store.” So John does, locking up the studio with his jacket thrown over his shoulder and Karkat’s hand in his. The drive is quiet, John thumping a beat on the steering wheel that Karkat idly wings along too. John walks Karkat up to the door, through it to the staff room, and when a song begins to play over the speakers even though Karkat’s boss usually doesn’t play music, Karkat smiles. John offers a hand, bowing at the waist and kissing Karkat’s knuckles when his hand slides into John’s. “One last grocery dance? For old times sake?”

“John, you can have a million grocery store dances as long as you hold me like you do in the studio.”

John chuckled and leaned over to kiss him on his forehead.

“I wouldn’t dream of doing any less.”


End file.
